Trump 2nd term live updates: Dan Bongino named as deputy FBI director

The Internal Revenue Service has begun laying off more than 6,000 new and newly-promoted employees across the country, sources familiar with the planning told ABC News. The layoffs are part of a broader campaign to shrink the federal workforce that could have potential consequences for the current tax filing season.

These layoffs, impacting roughly 6-7% of the agency's 100,000-person workforce, began midday Thursday primarily outside the D.C., area, with thousands of employees facing layoffs at offices in Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Tennessee, New York and other states, sources told ABC News.

-ABC News' Olivia Rubin, Will Steakin, Katherine Faulders, Anne Flaherty and Elizabeth Schulze

Asked who Trump believes bears responsibility for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, White House national security adviser Michael Waltz declined to say. He also didn't directly respond to a question on whether Trump viewed Russia's Vladimir Putin as a dictator after Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy one.

Instead, Waltz continued to take aim at Zelenskyy, saying Trump's frustration with him is "multifold."

"Look, President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelenskyy," Waltz said. "The fact that -- that he hasn't come to the table, that he hasn't been willing to take this opportunity that we have offered. I think he eventually will get to that point, and I hope so very quickly. But President Trump, as we made clear to our Russian counterparts, and I want to make clear today, he is focused on stopping the fighting and moving forward."

Zelenskyy, who was not invited to talks between the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia earlier this week, has said he would not sign on to any deal that Ukraine was not a part of negotiating.

White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller was asked to elaborate on Trump's idea to give money to Americans based on DOGE savings, specifically a timeline on when Americans might see checks.

Trump said on Wednesday night he "loved" the idea of 20% of savings through DOGE going back to taxpayers.

"This is all going to be worked on through the reconciliation process with Congress that's going underway right now," Miller said. "As you've seen, the Senate is moving a bill. The House is moving a bill. The president has great confidence in both chambers to deliver on his priorities."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced she will vote against Kash Patel's nomination to serve as FBI director.

"There is a compelling need for an FBI Director who is decidedly apolitical. While Mr. Patel has had 16 years of dedicated public service, his time over the past four years has been characterized by high profile and aggressive political activity," she said in a statement.

The announcement came as the Senate actively took a test vote on Patel's nomination. He will need a simple majority of votes to advance to final confirmation later Thursday afternoon.

Even with Collins' objection, Patel is expected to get the necessary votes to be confirmed.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin